Has pitobrutinib/pirtobrutinib been included in the medical insurance policy in China?

Pitobrutinib (also known as pitobrutinib) is a new oral BTK inhibitor, mainly used for the treatment of relapsed or refractory B cell malignant tumors. In China, the original drug pitubrutinib has been approved for marketing. As of 2025, it has not been included in the national medical insurance directory, which means that patients need to pay for it in full when using it in China, which imposes a high financial burden. However, the latest medical insurance news points out that patients can use medical insurance for reimbursement in 2026, but they need to be reimbursed according to local medical insurance policies. The specifications sold in domestic pharmacies are 100 mg 14 tablets and 4 tablets. Each box may be sold for more than 40,000 yuan. For patients with long-term treatment, the overall treatment cost is relatively expensive.

In overseas markets, the original version of Pitobrutinib mainly comes in European and American versions. The common specifications are 50mg 30 tablets or 100mg 60 tablets. Each box sells for nearly 100,000 yuan, which is very expensive. This price level is unaffordable for most patients, so clinical practice relies more on medical insurance coverage or pharmaceutical company assistance programs to alleviate patients' financial pressure. The high prices of overseas original drugs also make patients need to consider transportation, storage and customs-related policies if they choose to import drugs in China.

In order to alleviate cost pressure, some overseas countries have launched generic versions of pitubrutinib. Its drug ingredients are basically the same as the original drug, and its efficacy and safety have been verified. For example, the specification produced by a Lao pharmaceutical factory is 50mg*30 tablets. Each box sells for about more than 2,000 yuan, which is significantly lower than the original drug. If patients choose regular generic drug channels, they can significantly reduce drug costs while ensuring drug efficacy, but they still need to ensure reliable sources of drugs to prevent the purchase of counterfeit or substandard drugs.

Generally speaking, pitubrutinib is not covered by medical insurance in China. Domestic patients mainly rely on purchasing the drug at their own expense. At the same time, they can obtain original drugs or generic drugs through formal overseas channels. When choosing a drug purchase channel, patients should comprehensively consider price, drug quality, transportation and storage conditions, and at the same time standardize medication use under the guidance of a doctor. Reasonable planning of medication cycles and expenses is particularly important for patients with long-term treatment of BB cell malignant tumors, which can reduce the economic burden while ensuring the efficacy.

Reference materials:https://www.drugs.com/